2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport First Drive. It struck me later, that Utah would be a good place to raise a
family. Considering we were driving Hyundai's most candid attempt at
attracting families to the brand -- the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport --
this afterthought seemed less than coincidental. The 2013 Hyundai Santa
Fe Sport is the first of a two-pronged attack to get parents (and
possibly rugrats) to take notice. The five-passenger Sport model we
drove will be followed up with the Santa Fe six and seven-passenger
configurations in a few months, replacing the Hyundai Veracruz.
But with the smaller Sport model, a few things became instantly clear to us.
Hyundai sent us out to Park City to push its newest CUV up and down
the pretty mountain roads. But while soaking in Swiss-Alps like
scenery, I was distracted by the other Hyundai Santa Fes along the way.
This sometimes happens on press trips -- not surprising with 20 of the
same vehicle rolling down a road -- but in this case, it was because the
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport's striking styling. The high beltline,
three-bar chrome grille, and dramatic swooping lines will make you take
notice, something the inoffensive blandness of the previous Santa Fe
never quite achieved. The inside gets the full Hyundai makeover too,
which means a more modern looking, premium feeling cabin.
There are also some significant differences between the new and old
Santa Fe models beyond looks. As Hyundai planned to attach the "Sport"
moniker to the new model, it decided the sporty aspect should carry over
to the scales, too. On a diet of high-tensile steel -- Hyundai's very
own--engineers were able to pare down the Santa Fe's weight by 266
pounds. That's like pulling the six-foot seven-inch Los Angeles Lakers'
basketball player Metta World Peace (nee Ron Artest) out of the Santa
Fe. Not bad. And the fitness will continue on to the longer six and
seven passenger versions, which are said to be 397 pounds lighter than
the Hyundai Veracruz models they will replace. The weight loss -- and
the new Hyundai Santa Fe's all-four-cylinder lineup -- were essential
for Hyundai to deliver good fuel economy. Even with all-wheel drive, the
thirstier turbo engine, aggressive driving and steep inclines to
tackle, we managed low to mid-20s mpg numbers, noteworthy in its own
right. But is this the winning formula? Is an efficient, attractive
Santa Fe Sport enough to compete with the likes of the Ford Edge, Chevy
Equinox, Toyota Rav4 and Kia Sorento?
Walkaround
Midsize SUVs offer the room and utility a family on the go might need,
but design is often the first casualty. In recent years, the segment has
seen many bloated, lethargic looking models roll their way off dealer
lots, and the previous Santa Fe -- while competent -- didn't exactly
make you want to jump behind the wheel. The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
remedies this with fresh, modern looks that should hold up well a few
years from now. Newer models like the 2013 Ford Edge had put pressure on
Hyundai to deliver a more appealing aesthetic, and a few strokes from
the ever-developing fluidic sculpture wand seemed to do the trick. A
pronounced three-bar chrome grille, optional 19-inch wheels and a high
beltline make the crossover more aggressive and sporty. The new Santa Fe
seems to effortlessly evolve the nameplate for the better.
Sitting Down
Of late, Hyundai can't be accused of lacking panache and flair in its
designs, and the interiors of a few recent models have caught our eye.
Once seated, you notice about ten different materials of contrasting
colors and shapes; a variety of plastic materials, nice leather and faux
brushed metal and faux wood are abundant in the Santa Fe Sport, but
Hyundai manages to pull off a clean, modern cabin despite the array. It
all works to create a harmony that feels very current and is markedly
more exciting and premium than the CUV it replaces. Buyers will have the
choice of fine leather or cloth seats that are stain resistant, using
Yes Essentials beading technology that reduces spill cleanup to a simple
cloth or paper-towel pat down. Parents with a couple of little ones in
tow will especially appreciate this.
While the interior room is slightly greater than most of the
competition, in some cases it seems far beyond the others. Cargo room is
abundant with the rear-row up, and with it down, the Santa Fe Sport
becomes cavernous. While some automakers opt for a 60-40 split to fold
the rear seat, Hyundai kindly -- and almost unnecessarily -- gives you a
40-20-40 split, which means you can decide more precisely how much
seating you want, and how much extra cargo space you need. There's even a
hidden storage area beneath the cargo hold, that could be handy for
storing cans of Fix-a-Flat, a camera bag, purse, or whatever you might
keep in your vehicle at all times.
Legroom is more business class than coach if you find yourself
tagging along in back for a ride. Kids and friends will approve. While
the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport seats five, the longer Santa Fe that
will debut in a few months will have seating options for six or seven,
depending on what configuration you select. Both models will have a
4.3-inch media screen with back-up camera as standard, while the model
we drove had the $2,900 technology package, meaning in addition to the
panoramic sunroof, 550-watt sound system, and heated steering wheel, we
got navigation with a nice, big 8.0-inch media screen.
Driving
The 2013 Sport model comes with two four-cylinder engine options, one of
which can spar with good V-6s. Both engines are paired with a six-speed
Hyundai-built automatic transmission, and are available with the
Dynamax all-wheel-drive system for buyers who need additional traction.
The entry level engine is a 2.4-liter, 190-hp powerplant that should be
more than sufficient for most buyers running around town, and delivers
and impressive EPA estimated 33 mpg on the highway. Scaling through
elevations ranging between 6,000 and 10,000 ft, Hyundai opted to have us
drive the 2.0-liter, 264-hp turbo-four-cylinder model, with
all-wheel-drive. Both engines have had success in the popular Hyundai
Sonata, and regardless of the incline the Santa Fe Sport's 2.0-liter
turbo never felt underpowered. On flat surfaces, the punchy turbo engine
even had a fair amount of power and speed, and the automatic
transmission shifted easily between the gears. The ride was generally
smooth, and most remarkable was how whisper-quiet the cabin was.
Engineers clearly put some effort here, and even at highway speeds we
appreciated the near-muted road and wind noise.
The brakes worked very well and were neither mushy nor grabby.
Hyundai says the 2013 Santa Fe Sport has best in-class braking. There
are some new features too, including 3 different steering modes: sport;
comfort; and normal. In all honesty, we didn't notice a pronounced
difference in the modes, and drove in "normal" for the great majority of
our drive.
Summary
Faced with a good, but lackluster, aging model, Hyundai set out to
reinvigorate the Santa Fe crossover. The compact crossover segment is
shopped by families looking for value, and currently no automaker may be
better equipped to deliver a vehicle that buyers feel merit their hard
earned dollars. Hyundai has become synonymous with giving buyers more
for their money, or offering similar for a whole lot less, and the old
Santa Fe delivered that already.
But it wasn't value that was in question, it was appeal. The
resulting 2013 Santa Fe Sport delivers the automaker's fresh and modern
design, and brings the model up to speed in the segment. In fact, the
new Santa Fe Sport, along with the Ford Edge, make the rest of the
segment look dated. The all-four-cylinder lineup offers great fuel
economy, while offering two engine options for varied needs. Drivers and
passengers can appreciate the premium cabin, plentiful room and endless
cargo storage options.
The 2013 Santa Fe Sport models we drove were priced at $35,925, and
with all of the equipment and packaging, are worth every penny. The
2.0-liter turbo-four-cylinder engine is the one we'd opt for in the
Santa Fe, and even with the pricier, punchier engine, buyers can get a
well-equipped Santa Fe Sport well under $30k. For families looking for a
fresh, modern crossover with plenty of features, room, and utility, the
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is a good place to start.
Basic Specs
2.4-liter four-cylinder, six-speed automatic, FWD, 190 hp, $24,450, 22 mpg city/ 33 mpg hwy
2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder, six-speed automatic, FWD, 264 hp, $27,700, 21 mpg city, 31 mpg hwy
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